Jewish Group 'Applauds' Gas Attack On Soviet Troupe

September 4, 1986|By United Press International

NEW YORK — A militant Jewish leader denied Wednesday that his organization rolled a tear-gas canister down the aisle at the premiere performance of a Soviet dance troupe in the Metropolitan Opera House but said, ''We applaud the results.''

The head of the famed Moiseyev dance troupe, making its first visit to the United States in 12 years, vowed the show would go on and said, ''We are not afraid of bombs.''

''I know for sure that this is not the end of this, but the beginning,'' said Chaim Ben Josef, 29, chairman of the militant Jewish Defense League.

Josef said it was possible some members of the JDL ''acting on their own'' might have taken part in the attack against the dance company Tuesday night.

''I believe it was likely done by a sort of Russian underground, probably Russian Jews from Brooklyn whose relatives are being denied emigration from Russia, being oppressed and, in some cases, tortured.''

''The JDL denies responsibility but we applaud the results,'' said Josef, who said his English name is Victor Vancier. ''These performances are designed to sugarcoat the image of the Soviet government.''

''If, God forbid, those who carried out this incident are apprehended, we will provide lawyers and money to defend them,'' Josef said. He acknowledged making telephone calls to United Press International and other news media after the attack.

A tear-gas canister was sent rolling down the main aisle of the opera house moments into the dancers' opening performance. The gas forced 4,100 people to flee the sold-out theater.

Members of the 155-member troupe at first tried to keep dancing. Twenty-six people were treated for tear-gas irritation, but none were seriously injured.